At Long Island Woodworking Supply, we’re proud to be the online tool suppliers people turn to when they need another piece of useful equipment for their woodshop. With a great selection of the best woodworking tools, from woodturning equipment to adhesives to sharpening products to bandsaw blades, we have something for every need.
And we’ll also be the first to tell you that when you’re hung up on a project, there’s more than one tool for every job.
In other words, you may be feeling like you’re a bit limited in what you can do because you don’t have the latest tools at your disposal. In fact, if you’re like most people, you have most of the basics and a few other tools that you’ve picked up along the way.
That’s why in today’s post, we’d like to help you think outside the box in order to get yourself out of the mindset that you need an entire workshop full of gear. Would a new laser cutter be nice? Absolutely! Would it be nice to have a CNC machine to accurately handle repeatable cuts? Most definitely! Would you get a lot of use out of a huge bandsaw with plenty of space to make tall cuts? Probably so!
But do you need that stuff to create the vast majority of projects? Probably not.
There’s no doubt that having a huge selection of tools makes it easiest to find something that will get the job done quicker or more easily, but as the old saying goes, there’s more than one way to bake a cake. In other words, if you’re willing to think outside the box a bit, there’s nothing you can’t do. Will it be harder? Possibly, but at the end of the day, there’s something magical about doing the best you can with what you have.
Photographer Chase Jarvis is quoted as saying that “the best camera is the one that’s with you.” This same idea applies to woodworking. Sure, there might be another tool that’s better, but you don’t have it, and what you do have will get the job done.
That’s why it’s so important to have the foundational items you need in your shop. Yes, it would be nice to have it all, but what it really comes down to is keeping the basics in your shop and taking good care of them. That means having the right sharpening and grinding supplies to keep your chisels well-honed. It means keeping various bandsaw blades on hand to ensure that you have the right fone for your project. It means staying stocked up on finishing supplies to put the perfect finishing touches on your latest creation.
Every shop is different, so it’s important to think about the items you need to tackle the vast majority of projects that come your way. What’s missing? Shop the selection of items in our online tool store and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions or need advice. We’d love to speak with you!
